1960s Platinum Aldo Londi for Bitossi Vase Italian Handmade Brutalist Chrome "Ceramiche" Mid Century Modern

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This vase was made by Aldo Londi for the Italian “ceramiche” design house Bitossi, and imported to America by Rosenthal … Read more This vase was made by Aldo Londi for the Italian “ceramiche” design house Bitossi, and imported to America by Rosenthal Netter in the 1960s.It is “Design N233, Shape N4 in a Platinum Glaze”. The vase retains the original paper labels and price tag, and obtained from the estate of the original purchaser, who kept it in a cupboard, unused, which is why it is still in such remarkable condition.

Master Italian ceramist Aldo Londi is best known for his small-scale animal sculptures. In the latter half of the 20th century he designed a variety of ceramics for the famed company Bitossi including vases, bowls and other accessories, with his popularity extended outside of Italy with the help of Rosenthal Netter, an American import and distribution company that brought many esteemed Italian design houses such as Bitossi to boutiques and department stores in the United States.

The flawless platinum finish was achieved via three firings. When applying a platinum glaze, using a blue base underneath enhances its appearance by creating a cooler undertone, making the silver tone more vibrant and metallic, with a more "icy" or "cool" look. That icy blue glaze from the second firing is visible inside the vase.

Because of the extra effort and care required when using a metallic glaze, Londo often paired them with textured surfaces to reduce the chance of imperfections, a fact that makes this vase even more rare and desirable. Also, at just the right angle under the light, you can make out a very faint partial hand print baked into the glaze. I like to imagine this is the imprint of Master Londi himself. :)

The vase is in very fine vintage condition, with one or two blemishes from the time of production. There is a very small, almost imperceptible chip just under the base, but is otherwise flawless. The vase measures 8.75" x 4.25". See less